Washing machine



Jne 26, 1923.

T. LITWILLER ET AL WASHING MACHINE Original Filed Feb. 3, 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet l Inhun.'

`3mm@ 26, m23.

T. LITWILLER ET AL WASHING MAcHlNE omgma Filed Feb. s,

1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 lipatented ,lane t2.

THS LTWILLER AND JOHN LEADER, OF MOBTN, ILLXNOTS, ABSIGN POWER WASHER C0., 0F NORTON, ILLINIS, A'CORPORATION F ILLINOIS.

WASHING MACHINE.

Application tiled February 3, 1921, Serial We. 442,336. Renewed Eecember 7, wat.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that we,THoMAs LrrwrLLnn and JOHN LEADER, citizens of the United States, residents of Morton, in the county of Tazewell and State of llllinois, have invented new and useful Tmprovements in lVashing Machines,`of which the following is a specification.

This invention has reference to washing machines, and particularly to that type including a clothes container or tub which is mounted for movement in the frame of the machine. p

The invention has for its principal object to provide a controllable means for the tub moving means; such controllable means movable to different positions and adapted in one of its positions -to impart movement to the tub and 'in another of its positions adapted to restore the tub to normal s'topped position, without stopping the movement of the tub moving means.

A further object of 'the invention is to provide means for oscillating the tub and controlling `such oscillation, which said means are void of the usual and customary spring constraining means for returning the tub to its normal position after each move ment and for balancing the' tub, and employing. in place thereof a simple form of link connection with the tub coupled to a pitman operated from a crank connected 'to the transmission gearing of the machine.

Such link beingshiftable thru' the agency of a lever for placing the link alternately in operating and non-operating positions. The non-operating position of said link being locked by reason 'of the relation of the lever thereto, but without adeoting the actuation of the pitman, whereby, the pitman may idle during the operation of the transmission mechanismx.

The invention has for a Jr'urther object toprovide a controllablemeans for the tub oscillatingmeans which is adapted to give to the tub a variable movement, such movement being under the full control of an attendant and being dependent on the posi-.

tion to which the controllable means is adjusted. Tn one position of the controllable means movement may be imparted 'to the tub, in another position of the controllable means the tub is restored 'to its, normal stopped position, a variable movement being imparted to the tub as the controllable means is moved or held between such two describedl positions.

The invention comprisesV essentially an oscillatory tub or container; al transmission mechanism; a link having a slidable relation with a pivot member secured to the tub to one side of its pivotalaxis; a pitman pivotally connected to one end of the link and also having a pivotal connection with a crank included in the transmission, and al lever having a pivotal connection with the link at the end opposite to the end to which is connectedthe pitman. The pivotal axis otall connecting point of the lever with the link into axial coincidence with the pivot member on the tub, that the link may idle on said pivotmember during its oscillation by thepitinan without imparting oscillation to thel tub, the tub being locked against oscillation and held in a normal position by the lever having been moved to a position between the pivotal axis of the tub and the pivot member thereon.

A structure such as we have described embodies the very fewest number of parts, and omitting as it does the constraining and balancing springs heretofore considered necessary in vdevices of this character, not only materially simplies the structure, but reduces the iirst cost and relieves the machine of the jar incident to the sudden expansion and contraction vof the springs.

That the invention may be more fully understood, reference is had to the accompanying drawings. forming a part of the present vdescription and disclosingva preferred embodiment of the invention in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation oli a Washin machine embodying our improved tub osci lating and controlling means, dotted lines indicating the movement of the parts;

Fig. 2 is a vertical croati-section, as the same would appear, if taken on the line 2 2 if rig. i,

Tt further provides that, vwhen the lever is shifted to bring thepiv- Fig. 3 is a detail View of the tub, link, pitman, crank and lever operating and controllin means, shown in tub oscillating p07 sition 1n full'lines, and in dotted lines, illustrating the oscillatory positions thereof Fig. 4 is a view somewhat similar to Fig. 3, except'that the lever has been moved to shift the link into inoperative'position, the dotted lines denoting how the link will id le on the pivot member on the tub as lthe p1tman bar is reciprocated;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the link, and

Fig. 6 is a detail in plan as the same would appear if taken on the line 6-6 Fig. 1.

Like characters of reference denote corresponding parts throughout the figures.

The machine includes a frame made up of the four corner posts or legs 1 connected' at the top by a head frame 2 and at the bottom by a base frame 3. While no inclosing l casing for the machine is shown, it is to be understood that such a casing maybe provided, whereby the machine may be sold as a cabinet machine.

`4 designates a tub or clothes container of a type not uncommon in the art, mounted preferably for oscillatory movement in the machine frame. To its sides are secured plates 5 connected .by a rod 6, and each plate has a trunnion 7 in axial alignment with the trunnion on the other plate, and' said trunnions are journaled in frame parts 8 and 9,

respectively. These trunnions form the pivotal axis for the tub. Ordinarily in machines embodying an oscillatory tub of the character shown., restraining and balancing springs are used, but these are omitted as being unnecessary in our machine.

Essentially, the tub oscillating and controlling means comprise a link 10, a pitman bar 11,21J crank 12 and a lever 13, although of course, there is included a transmission mechanism for imparting movement to the crank 12 from the source of power, in this instance an electric motor 14. The motor and transmission mechanism are preferably supported on the machine base. The motor 14 has a small belt wheel 15 driving a belt 16 engaging a larger belt wheel 17 carried' on a shaft 18 to which" is also attached a pinion 19 meshing with a gear wheel 20 on a shaft 21 to which is connected the crank 12 and also a bevel gear wheel 22 in mesh with a bevel gear wheel 23 on the lower end of an upright wringer shaft 24.

The pitman bar 11 a 1d the cr'ank 12 are of the usual construction. The link 10 is an elongated bar having a longitudinal, preferably, rectangularly shaped slot 25. At one end, the link is formed with a 'turnedback lip, plate or ear 26, spaced from the main body of the link So as to provide a short channel 27, see Fig. 5, and said lip, plate, or ear has a laterally extended short pivgt member 28. The opposite end of the link is formed, preferably, with a depending ear or plate 29 which has. a laterally extended short pivot member 30. Slidable in the slot 25 of the link 10, when the latter is reciprocated bythe lever 13, as we shall explain, is a sectional bearing block 31, see Figs. 1 4and 2, which is clamped about a pivot member 32 connected preferably to a side of the tub and preferably in horizontal spaced relation, a suitable distance from the trunnion '7 on the corresponding side of the tub, see Figs. 3 and 4. The axes of the trunnion 7 just referred to and the pivot member 32 on the tub would be intersected by` an arc of a circle struck from a pivot member 33 on a framev part 34, when the tub is in its normal position, and the ivot member 33 serves as the fulcrum on w ich the lever 13 is oscillated. When the parts are assembled and in operative positions the lever 13 extends up and alongside the tub and frame in the position shown in Fig. 1, the main body of the lever being to one .side and to the left of the trunnion 7 and its upper end seated in a depression 35 in a member of the head frame of the machine, see Fig. 6. This tends to hold the parts against accidental displacement, due to vibration, there being enough resiliency in the lever bar, due te its upright position to cause it to seat itself in said depression when swung to such posi tion. "When -theparts are assembled a lateral extension 36 of the lever 13 has a pivotal connection with the pivot member 28 on the link 10, and the pitman bar 11- has a pivotai connection at its lower end with the crank 12, and a pivotal connection at its upper en'd with the pivot member 30 on the link 10, all of which is shown.

lin the operative position of the tub, with the lever thrown back, the pivotal connection of the lever with the pivot member 28 on the link 10 is coincident with the axis of the trunnions 7 on the tub. Therefore, when the pitman bar 11 is reciprocated, the pressure is approximately in line with the pivot member 32 on the tub and the latter may be oscillated on its pivotal axis, the link idling on the pivot member 28 having a pivotal. connection. with the extension of the lever, best seen in Fig. 3.

To place the tub operating parts in an inoperative position. to prevent oscillation of the tub and retain it in such position, the attendant, without turning o' the source of power, will grasp the lever 13 and move it forwardly from-the full line position' in Figs. 1 and 3 to the dotted line position in Fig. 1 and full line position in Fig. 4. This movement will slide the link 10 on the bearing block 31, the latter seating itself in the channel 27 between the main body of the link and the lip, plate or ear, 26 thereof, and 1 n such position the axis of the pivot memlit Mentana ber 32 in the block and the pivot member 28 on the link will be coincident. Also, the main body of the lever has been moved across the axis of the trunnion 7 and positioned between the trunnion and the pivot member 32 on the tub locking the parte against oscillation, except, that as the pitman bar ll is reciprocated, it may impart oscillation to the link 10 and it will idle on its pivotal connection with the lever thru the pivot member 28 all of which it is belie-ved will be understood. Y

The arrangement of the parts is simple, yet effective, and noiseless, and no danger of stripping gearing, cramping clutch parts andl eliminating entirely the danger of being hurt by being caught in movable parts in operative connection with the tub.

We have illustrated the tub 4 in merest outline and the pivot member 32 connected to the side thereof. llt is to be understood, however, that in machines of this character and particularly of the oscillating type, it is not uncommon to provide a saddle for the tub, i. e. a frame to brace it and in that event the pivot member 32 would be connected thereto, and the trunnions 7 would also be connected thereto, obviating the use of the plates 5 and cross bar 6.

lt should also be borne in mind that the link and lever construction shown makes it possible, as the lever is moved from the po- A sition shown in Fig. 4 to Fig. 3 that the tub oscillation is slow witha short stroke radually increasing until the full stro re is reached. The reverse of this is also true when the lever is moved from the position shown in Fig. 3 to Fig. 4. rlhen the oscillation is gradually slowed down until it stops. Also, the lever may be moved to different positions between the limits of its strokes, thereby lessening or increasingtheA movement of the tub, depending on the position of the lever. 'lhis variable speed is useful particularly when washing tine fabrics, where a slow speed of oscillation is desirable.

As will be apparent from the foregoing, the link l0 Vis primarily the controllable means, and in this instance is selected as they means included in the operative connections,

between the operating means and the tub, to

imnartmovement to the 'tub and to stop and vrestore the tub in normal position, being adapted to be adjusted through lthe operation of the manually movable lever 13.

By normal position of the tub,b it is to be understood that that is the position the tub occupies when it is stopped so that the lid or cover thereof may be removed by an attendant to permit the. removal of clothes or fabrics from the tub and the placing of other articles or materials therein. Also, by

the use of the word-...gf restore we mean the bringing back or righting of the tub to normal position at the same time'that the operating means is made inefective so far as operating the tub is concerned yet without disturbing'the movement of the operating means.

We have elected to show a very simple yet effective controllable means, realizing, however, that it is possible to vary the structure by the adaptation of other movements, all within the range of skilled mechanics familiar with the art in question, and we therefore do not wish to be confined to the precise construction shown.

What we claim is:

1. In a machine of the character described,

in combination, a tub mounted for movement and means to move said tub, includin an adjustable means adapted when adjuste to one position to restore said tub toits normal position and stop its movement.

2. ln a machine of the character described, in combination, a tub mounted for movement and means to move said tub, including an adjustable means adapted when adjusted to one position to restore said tub to its normal position andstop its movement, without stopping theV movement of said moving means. I Y

3. lln a machine of the character described, in combination, a tub mounted for movement and means to move said tub, including a controllable means movable to dil'erent positions and adapted in one of its positions to impart movement to the tub and in another of its positions adapted to restore the tub to normal stopped position.

4. ln a machine of the character described, in combination, a tub mounted for movement, means to move said tub, including a controllable means movable to different positions and adapted in one of its positions to impart movement to the tub and in anotherl of its positions adapted to restore the tubto normal stopped position without stopping the movement of said moving means.

5. dln a machine of the character described, in combination, a tub mounted forl movement, an operating means, operating convLnections between said tub and said operating means, and acontrollable means in said lll@ operating connections having selective positions, in one of which the operating connections to the tub are effective for tub movement and in another of which such operating connections are ineffective for tub movement and the tub is restored and held in normal stopped position, and manually operable means for moving said controllable means.

6. In a machine-of the characterdescribed, in combination, a tub mounted for movement, an operating means, operating connections between said tub and said operating means, including al controllable means movable to predetermined positions and in selective positions therebetween to impart a from the. fulcrum point of said lever the tubk said variable movement to said tub, and in one or" such predetermined positions to restore the tub to normal sto ped position.

7. In a machine of t e character described, in combination, a tub mounted for movement and lever means for operating said tub having a variable fulcrum osition, said means including a controllabe means fory varying the fulcrum point of said operating means to move thev tub or to restore it to normal stopped position.

8. In a machine of the cha-racterdescribed, in combina-tion, a tub mounted for movement, means for operating said tub, a controllable means for said operating means including lever Ameans, connections between said operating means and said controllable means, said controllable means being adapted to vary the fulcrum relation between said controllable mea-ns and said tub to permit the operating means to move the tub, or to restore the tub to normal stopped position.

9. In a machine of the character described, in combination, a tub mounted for oscillatory movement, a member projecting from said tub, a link slidable on said mem'ber, a lever having a pivotal connection with one end of said link, for reciprocating the latter alternately to operative and inoperative positions and during the return to the latter position automatically bringing the vtub to lts normal position, an operating mechanism', and operating connections between .said link-and said mechanism.

l0. In a machine of the character described, in combination, a tub mounted for oscillatory movement, a member projecting from said tub, a link slidable on said member, a lever havin a pivotal connection with one end of said ink, for reciprocating the latter alternately to operative and inoperative positions and during the return to the latter position automatically bringing the tub to its normal position, a pitman bar pivotally connected to the opposite end of said link, a crank connected to said pitman, andmeans to operate said crank.

11. In a machine of the character described, in combination, a tub mounted for oscillatory movement, a pivot member on the tub in spaced relation to the pivotal axis of the tub, a link slidable on said member, a

lever fulcrumed at its lower end to the machine frame, the pivotal axis of the tub and the pivot member located in an arc struck being inritsvnormal position, means pivotally connectingone end of said link with said lever, an operating mechanism and operating connections between said link and mechanisme' 12.*In` "'f machine of the character described, invv combination, a tub mounted for oscillatorymovement, -a pivot member on the tub in spaced relation to the pivotal axis of the tub, a link slidable on said member, a lever fulcrumed at its lower end to the machine frame, the pivotal axis of the tub and the pivot member located in an arc struck from the fulcrum point of said lever the tub being in its normal position, means pivotally connecting one end of said link with said lever, a pitman bar pivotally connected to the opposite end of said link, a crank connected to said-pitman, and means to operate said crank.

13. In a machine of the character described, in combination, a tub mounted for oscillatory movement, a pivot member on the tub, a slotted link to receive said member,

said link being slidable from operative to inoperative position, means to reciprocate said link, a lever in pivotal connection with said link, said last mentioned'pivot being coincident with the pivotal axisof the tub when the parts are in normal operative position, and coincident with the laxis of the pivot member when the parts are in inoperative position.

14. In a machine of the characterl described, in combination,a tub mounted for oscillatory movement, a pivot member on the tub in spaced relation to its pivotal axis, a block on said member, a link slotted to receive said block and slidable thereon, said link at one end formed with a turned back lip spaced from the body of the link so as not to interfere with said block, and at its opposite end formed with a depending ear, a pitman bar pivotally connected with said ear, a crank connected with said pitman, meansto operate said crank, a lever, means pivotally connecting the body of said lever with the lip on said link, and locking means in the frame for the lever.

.15.-In a machine of the character described, in combination, a frame, a tub mounted for oscillation insaid frame, and operating means for the tub comprising a pivot member arranged in spaced relation to the axial center-of thetub, a pivotal controlling means in said operating means,` and manually operable means for moving the axis of said controlling means alternately into coincidence with the axis of the tub and the axis of said pivot member, without stopping the movement of said operating means.

16. In a machine of the character described, in combination, a framel, a tub mounted for oscillation in said frame, and operating means for the tub comprising a plvot .member .arranged in spaced relation to the axial center of the tub, a controlling means in said operating means, said controllings means including a pivot member arranged to ybe brought into axial coincidence with said first mentioned pivot member, .and a manually movable lever for actuating said controlling means.

17. In a machine of the character deotally connecting said lever with said incanta scribed, in combination, a frame, a tub mounted for` oscillation in` said frame, means for oscillating said tub, `said oscillating means including a part disposed on the side of the tub and shiftable transversely to the axis of the tub, the extreme positions to which the said part may be moved controlling the operative and inolperative ositions of the tub, and a manu lyrmova le lever operatively connected with said shiftable part, the extreme position of the lever in one direction positioning said shiftable part whereby the tub may be oscillated, and the extreme position of the -lever in the other direction positioning said part whereby the tub is restored to normal position and ino erative and said oscillating means ine ective.

18. ln a machine of the character described, in combination, a tub mounted for oscillatory movement, a pivot member on the tub in spaced relation to the pivotal axis of the tub, a member in slidable relation with said pivot member, a lever fulci'umed at its lower end, the pivotal axis of the tub and the pivot member located in an arc struck from the fulerum point of said lever the tub being in its normal position, means lis 1 able member, an operating mechanism, and operating connections between said slidable member and said mechanism.

19. In a Imachine of the character described, in combination, a frame, aA tub mounted for oscillatory movement in said frame, an operating mechanism, means operatively connected with said mechanism and said tub for oscillating the latter, said operatively connected means including a part disposed on the side of the tub and shitable transversely to the axis of the tub and arranged to be moved to two extreme positions, one constituting tub operatin position and the other constituting tub inoperative position, and a manually movable lever for moving said shiftable art and during 'such movement automatica ly restoring the tub to its normal inoperative position withoutistopping the movement of said operating mechanism.

20. lin a machine of the character described, in combination, a tub mounted for movement and means to move said tub, including an adjustable means adapted when adjusted to one position to sin'nultaneouslyi restore said tub to its normal position and stop its movement.

21. In a machine of the character .described, in combination, a tub mounted for movement and means to move said tub, including an adjustable means adapted when adjusted to one position to simultaneously restore said tub to its normal position and stop its movement, without stopping the movement of said moving means.

22. In a machine of the character described, in combination, a tub mounted for movement and means to move said tub, in-

cluding an adjustable means for varying the amplitude of oscillations of the tub adapted when adjusted to one position to restore said tub to its normal position and stop its movement, independently of the. amplitude of oscillations of the tub.

23. In a machine of the character described, in combination, a tub mounted for movement and means to move said tub, includingv an adjustable means for varying the amplitude of oscillations of the tub adapted when adjusted to one position to restore said tub to its normal position and stop its movement independently of the amplitude of osciliations of the tub and without stopping the movement of said moving means.

4. ln a machine' of the character described, in comblnation, a tub mounted for movement and power means to move said tub, including a controllable means movable to different positions and adapted as it is moved to tub moving position to start with a light load on the power means and gradually increase the load until full load is reached, and when moved to another of its positions to restore the tub to normal stopped position.

In witness whereof we have hereunto axed our hands this 29th day of Jann id21. 

